Authorities at the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy last night prevented a group of people from attempting to excavate the main courtyard of the temple of the tooth relic, designated as an archaeological reserve as well as a strictly protected area.
It was confirmed that this group entered the main courtyard, claiming to be from the Water Resources Board, without obtaining permission from the archaeological authorities.
The main courtyard of the sacred tooth relic is a site of great cultural as well as archaeological significance.
Under the Archeology Ordinance, which is in force, it is strictly prohibited for any organization or person to carry out any kind of excavation without the supervision of the authorities of the Department of Archaeology.
Scholars point out that against such a backdrop, the arbitrary and illegal behaviour of government agencies or any other authority is becoming a curse to the whole nation.
It has also been revealed that no formal investigations have been conducted on the thieves who stole the historical moonstone, weighing tons, from the Kundasale Udamalwa Archaeological Reserve on December 13.
It is reported that the minister’s son is behind the crime, and due to that, the investigations are not conducted fairly.
